Grave-vault door.



P. s. WISTERMAN. GRAVE VAULT DOOR. APPLIoATloN FILED APB. 27, 190s.

- Patented Dec.29, 1908.

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Pnented 1m29, 190s.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT onrion i FRANK S. WISTERMAN, OF GALION, OHIO.

y GRAVE-VAULT DOOR.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Application led April 27, 1908. Serial No. 429,544.

Improvements in Grave-Vault Doors, of

which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to closures for burial vaults, and the inventionhas for its object a durable and efficient construction'of vault closure arranged to hermetically seal a burial vault entirely from the outside without any opening through the door closure, the closure being so arranged as to be automatically locked when closed, so that the vault cannot be subsequently opened without destroying the vault or closure.

`With this and other objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and then point out the novel features thereof, in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the end portion of a burial vault emboying `my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof on the line 2--2 of Fig. l Fig-3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the closure; Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the pressure bars; and, Fig. 5 is another detail view.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a burial vault which is provided with an interior flange 2 set back from the entrance end of the vault, so as to provide a vestibule in which the` closure 3 may be slipped. The closure 3 is designed to fit the entrance opening of the vault, and is composed of plate steel preferably.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the closure 3 is provided on its exterior and near its side edges with outstanding lugs 4 that are formed with curved seats 5. Pressure bars 6 are formed withrounded portions adapted to be mounted in the seats 5 of the lugs 4, the bars being merely slipped therein, as is evident, and each pressure bar 6 is formed intermediate 'of its ends with a noncircular portion 7 by which it may-be turned through the instrumentality of a wrench or any other suitable tool. Each pressure bar 6 is formed at its ends with eccentric trunnions 8 adapted to enter slots 9 formed in the walls of the vault at the end thereof, so that as the bars are turned, the pressure bars will crowd the closure 3 inwardly to its seat against the flange 2. Y lf desired, in addition to the side and vertically disposed pressure bars 6, l may provide a lower horizontally disposed pressure bar formed similarly 'to the side bars, its trunnions being mounted for movement in slots 10 of brackets 11 secured in any desired way to the lower interior wall of the vault. Similarly, l may provide another pressure bar at the upper end of the vault, the trunnions at the ends thereof being adapted to work in slots l2 formed in the outer end of the vault at the upper wall thereof. lf desired, the upper and lower horizontally disposed bars may bear directly against the front face of the closure 3 to elfect the inward movement of the closure when the bars are turned. It is to be understood that it is within the scope of my invention to entirely omit the lugs 4, or if desired, to provide the lugs at both the top and bottom of the closure as well as the sides, or to do away with either the side or upper and lower pressure bars.

In order to effectually lock the closure 3 on the inside, l provide the closure on its rear face with latch casings 13 in which outwardly spring-pressed latches 14 are mounted, said latches being beveled at their outer ends, as shown, so that they may be retracted when engaged with the vault flange 2, as the closure is pressed inwardly, and then sna outwardly against the rear face of the ange. Preferably a gasket of lead, rubber, asbestos or the like, as indicated at 15, Fig. 4, lis interposed between the rear face of the closure or door and the front face of the flange 2, so that the gasket will be compressed and a water-tight seal insured when the pressure tion with the door or closure, it is manifest, will press the closure inwardly against the gasket 15 to effect a water-tight joint. It is to be particularly noted that a closure conf structed as hereinbefore described, is perfectly solid and without any opening extending therethrough for either the pressure or locking devices.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

l. The combination with a vault provided in its end with slots, of a closure adapted to be slipped into the said end, and pressure bars provided with eccentric trunnions mounted in said slots, whereby said bars are adapted to be pressed inwardly upon the closure.

2. The combination with a vault provided with an interior iiange, of a closure adapted to abut against .said flange, and pressure bars arranged to crowd the closure against the flange, the elosure being provided in its front face with outstanding lugs, said lugs being formed with curved seats and the closure being formed with slots, the pressure bars being formed with eccentric trunnions adapted to enter said slots, the bars thus being mounted in said curved seats whereby said bars are adapted to be pressed inwardly upon the closure.

8. The combination with a vault and a closure therefor, one of said parts being formed with lugs, of pressure bars eccentrically mounted between said lugs and the closure whereby the turning of said hars will 1 crowd the closure inwardly.

4 rlhe combination with a vault provided with an interior flange, of a closure adapted to abut against said flange, means for sealingr said closure, and outwardly spring-pressed latches carried on and by the rear face of the closure and adapted to snap outwardly against the rear side of the fiange.

ln testimony whereof .l allx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK S. VVISTERMAN YWitnesses E. P. MONROE, P. C. MARLAY. 

